Calypso

Rose

Late 19th

Also called "Kaiso", Calypso is a folkloric carnival music from Trinidad and Tobago, ancestor of other folkloric Caribbean genres . It is related to Jamaican mento but distinct in both its rhythms and lyrical form.

1940

McArtha Linda Lewis is born in 1940 in Bethel, a small village on the island of Tobago which, together with Trinidad, forms one of the many island republics of the Caribbean. The twin-island nation is the birthplace of Calypso music.

1945

Calypso becomes wildly popular in North America and covers of calypsos by US artists like the Andrews Sisters (who released a plagiarized version of Lord Invader’s " Rum and Coca Cola ") were selling millions of copies in 1945.

1955

Rose writes her first Calypso “Glass Thief”after sawing a man stealing the glasses from a woman in a market . It is the first Calypso denouncing inequality between the sexes.

1957

Calypso makes its cinematic debut in the film "Island in the sun" starring Harry Belafonte. Released in 1956, his album " Calypso " (RCA Victor )spends 31 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart and is the first album by a solo artist in history to sell over one million copies.

In 1957, the actor Robert Mitchum also enjoys great success with his album "Calypso is like ... so" ( Capitol ) which was recorded after a visit to Trinidad.

1960

Birth of Ska, which is heavily influenced by the melodies and lyrics of calypso. It is characterized by exuberant horn lines and a distinct offbeat rhythmic pattern on the guitar.

1963

Calypso Rose’s first trip to perform outside of Trinidad and Tobago. She visits the islands of Grenada and St. Thomas, where she win the "Calypso King" contest with her first recorded song "Cooperation" . This is the first time in history that a woman wins the title.

1965

In 1965, the American singer Shawn Elliot releases a cover of Sir Lancelot’s 1943 calypso" Shame and Scandal in the Family". It is a big hit in North America and Europe. In the same year, it becomes a hit in France for Sacha Distel and Dalida under the title " Scandale dans la famille "

1967

Calypso Rose performs with Bob Marley and the Wailers at the Grand Ballroom in New York City.

1970

Birth of Soca, rhythmically very close to Calypso but with more melodic bass lines and less sophisticated lyrics. Calypso Rose wrote her first soca tune “Action is Tight “

1974-1978

Beginning of Rose’s five-year reign after winning the title: " Calypso Queen ".Do Them Back is her first gold record.

1977

Calypso Rose is the first woman to win Trinidad’s prestigious "Road March" competition with her song "Gimme More Tempo".

1978

The "Calypso King" competition is now renamed "Calypso Monarch" in honour of Calypso Rose,who win the competition with “I Thank Thee”.

1986

Calypso Rose receives the title of Ambassador at Large of Liberia with her song “Pepper Soup “and for her efforts to support the improvement of life in the West African nation.

1988

Harry Belafonte’s cover of Lord Kitchener’s "Jump in the Line" is featured in the Tim Burton film Beetlejuice.

1989

Disney won an Academy Award for the most original music in The Little Mermaid with "Under The Sea" music ( "On the Ocean") which has a rhythmic and instrumental own in Calypso.

1990

Jean-Michel Jarre releases an album in tribute to ocean explorer Cousteau with four tracks "Calypso", "Calypso 2, "Calypso 3", "En attendant Cousteau,” which reflect the influence of Calypso rhythms and feature the Amoco Renegades steelband.

1991

Calypso Rose receives the award for “Most Outstanding Woman" by the National Action Committee for Women in Trinidad and Tobago.

1999

Calypso Rose receives international award of Caribbean music, which is the consecration for an artist to Calypso.

2010

Harry Belafonte’s version of the "Banana Boat Song" is sampled by renowned rapper Lil Wayne.

2011

Another cover of Kitchener’s "Jump in the Line” is released by hip hop artists Pitbull, T-Pain and Sean Paul.

2015

Manu Chao discovers Calypso Rose and helps in the production of her new album, in which he will be featured on three songs.

2016

March 11th

Release of the compilation ‘Calypso Soundsystem feat. Calypso Rose Queen of Calypso for 40 years !’ on Because Music, the label of Major Lazer, Manu Chao, Selah Sue, Christine & The Queens…

June 3rd

March 11th

Release of "Far From Home", Calypso Rose's new album.

2017

february 10th 2017

Victoires de la musique (French ‘Grammys’): Calypso Rose wins the award of Best Album in the World category